Showing 1-24 of 37 items found in Events

Celebrate the local peach harvest, sponsored by the Cobden Lions Club. Join us for fresh peaches from local orchards, carnival rides and games, crowning of ‘Miss Peach Queen’, homemade food and peach cobbler & pie with a 5K run/walk and parade on Saturday. Free admission.

This fun Fall destination features mazes, inflatable games, face painting for the little ones, and hayrides. Grab a snack from the concession stand (try the sweet rock candy) before heading home with the perfect pumpkin. (open Oct. 1-30, 9am-6pm)

The Cache River Wetlands offers great opportunities for eagle watching, as well as spotting other birds. The Cache River Wetland Center provides resource and identification materials to help you spot eagles and other birds in the area and along the rivers. They will provide maps and directions to the viewing station for the nest just off Illinois Route 37 off Perks road and south of the visitor's center.

“Ciao” on delicious Italian food and delight in a grand parade. There will be midway rides and games, live music, a bocce tournament, a grape stomp, a pasta cook-off, a kids pet and bike parade, a road race and an art contest.

The Murphysboro Apple Festival is the oldest and largest, alcohol-free festival in Southern Illinois. Over 45,000 people attend the festival each year. During the five days of the Apple Festival, there are numerous activities drawing large crowds such as evening stage shows, carnival/concessions, Queen Contest, Prince and Princess Contest, contests from apple pie eating to apple core throwing, firefighters' water fights, marching band competition, car shows, Appletime 5K Walk/Run and much more. In addition, the festival's Grand Parade is one of the largest parade in Southern Illinois. The parade features an average of about 160 total units, 25 of those marching bands, and a variety of groups and organizations.

Enjoy the area’s rich bird life and wetland habitat. A 12-minute orientation film gives a wonderful overview and introduction of the watershed, explaining the unique bio-diversity of the flora and fauna that can be experienced here. Visitors can also acquaint themselves with the area by exploring an interactive diorama of a bald cypress-water tupelo swamp, area state champion tree information and changing landscape displays. Activities include guided field trips, canoe tours, live bird demonstrations and various exhibits from 8am to 4pm.

Thousands of motorcyclists travel to Bald Knob Mountain, Southern Illinois’ highest point and the site of the Bald Knob Cross of Peace located just outside of Alto Pass, about 10 miles south of Murphysboro on IL-127.

Visit downtown Makanda, Gateway to Giant City State Park, where
black vultures and turkey vultures fly and swoop in the skies each fall. This event is a celebration or the vulture's annual migration with live music and displays by local artists for purchase.

Celebrate the pepper harvest from 11am to 5pm, A favorite gathering for all chile heads and hot pepper fans. Walk the pepper field and see many varieties of hot peppers in bloom, meet the vendors and see who makes the best hot/spicy food, visit the Pepper Farm Store and select your favorite salsa, jellies, spices and pepper products, relax, visit with friends, enjoy great local music and soak in great southern Illinois pepper heat. 618-893-1443. www.darnhotpeppers.com

Learn all about the morel in the heart of prime & proven morel habitat. Participate in the hunt, see cooking demonstrations, exchange recipes, come to buy or sell in the mushroom auction, and enter your best morel dish in the morel cook-off. Fun for the whole family, and trophies in many categories.

Parade begins at 2pm from the Anna City Park entrance on Davie St. and follows Main St. to Jefferson St. and back to the park. The Anna VFW post invites everyone back to the lodge for hot dogs and chili.

Start the day with the 5K run/walk race at 9 a.m. Watch the parade at 11am, enjoy corned beef & cabbage at the 17th Street Bar and Grill Warehouse. The Irish Kids’ Fest will feature arts and crafts, games and story telling at the Murphysboro Youth Center, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Grab a shillelagh and pour a green beer, or sample local craft beers while listening to the Irish music, and try your hand in the dart tournament or the Leprechaun Classic Bocce Tournament to be held at Riverside Park.

4th of July Celebration events includes: Freedom Run a 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run; a Gospel Show; a Parade; Free Concert at the City Park and much more. Capping off the Freedom Fest is one of the largest fireworks display in Southern Illinois.

The Shawnee Hills Art Council of Anna Arts Center and P.A.S.T. of Union County are co-sponsoring a Civil War Weekend in Anna, IL. A quick snapshot of the planned events include: Historical bus tour: “Lincoln’s Footsteps and Friends in Anna-Jonesboro”; exhibits which include guns and quilts; re-enactors and encampment; storytelling; and Civil War era food and music. So mark your calendars and plan on coming to Anna Arts Center for a journey back in time.

This Annual AKC Dog Show boasts many additional amenities. Sign up to bring your dog to the hearing clinic or get their nails trimmed while you wait. Over 100 breeds will try to make it to the Best In Show ring. There will also be vendors of dog treats, toys, beds, blankets and more.

The 26th Annual Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days will be held at John A Logan College. It is the largest celebration of Hunting and Fishing Day in the country. This 200+ vendor show offers something for the whole family. Bass Fishing and Crappie seminars, catfish contest, Goose calling contests, Dock Dogs competitions, retriever demonstrations and a kids fishing hole are just a few of the activities throughout the weekend.

This Festival began in 1997 and continued to grow and expand with new events and excitement for participants of all ages. A Celtic cultural celebration with special concerts, fairs with music, dance workshops & demonstrations, Celtic arts & crafts, and merchandise, children’s activities. This year's Southern Illinois Irish Festival will be hosted by Walkers Bluff. This new venue provides a picturesque location just northwest of Carterville, Illinois.

What’s summer in Southern Illinois without festivities! Join Alto Vineyards in celebrating the summer with music, food and canine friends. Local art and wines; along with food and games, to support local animal shelters. From noon to 7pm